Avianca Airline Executive Calls For Dignity For Disabled Travelers

The aviation industry is working to improve inclusivity and enhance accessibility for all travelers. One airline executive speaking out on the topic is Michael Swiatek, Chief Strategy Officer of the Abra Group. It is the parent company of Colombia’s flag carrier Avianca and Brazilian carrier GOL Airlines.

Legally blind, Swiatek aims to improve travel for people with disabilities, by enhancing their travel experiences.

“Accessibility is becoming a much talked about topic in the industry,” Swiatek says. Airlines and airports are working to make air travel more accessible, but many hurdles remain.

Swiatek has maintained an active 30-year leadership career in aviation and traveled extensively. His personal experiences while navigating the air travel industry have made him a passionate and empathetic advocate for change. He works to ensure an air travel experience where every passenger flies with dignity and respect.

A Personal Mission For An Inclusive Future

Before taking his current role at Abra Group, Swiatek was Chief Strategy and Planning Officer at Avianca, working on the transformation of the airline’s alliances, network expansion, and corporate planning.

At Abra Group, Swiatek shapes the strategic direction Avianca and GOL airlines, ensuring profitability and competitiveness. Previously, Swiatek held senior roles at several global airlines, including IndiGo Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Air New Zealand. He began his aviation career at United Airlines.

During his time at Avianca, Swiatek championed inclusivity as Co-chair of Culture Transformation, Accessibility, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

For Swiatek, advocating for accessibility is more than a professional responsibility; it’s a personal mission.

“This feels more like a calling, but I’m just in this unique position of a person with a disability,” he says. “It just feels like the world has put me in this place to try to solve this issue.”

Swiatek emphasizes that his disability makes him a better listener, something which has helped him advance in his aviation career. It also makes him more attentive to the details which others might miss, including the diverse needs of his team and airline customers.

Understanding And Addressing Diverse Needs

Passengers with disabilities, Swiatek explains, want the same independence and comfort as all travelers. Recognizing the diversity within disabilities is crucial for creating effective and empathetic solutions. Swiatek says, “If you’ve met an autistic person, you’ve met one autistic person. Every autistic person is different; every blind or low vision person is different.”

Addressing the different needs of disabled passengers must be the foundation for the airline industry’s approach, tailoring the travel experience and improving accessibility. Swiatek advocates raising awareness in the industry so airline decision-makers and the companies they work with can better understand the individual needs of a diverse group of people.

A commitment to respecting and enabling the independence of disabled travelers, Swiatek believes, must be at the heart of the industry’s approach to accessibility. “Giving us back our dignity,” he says.

Mapping The Pain Points Of Travel

However, what airlines refer to as the “customer journey or customer experience map,” which lays out all the touch points of a trip, often introduces pain points for disabled persons.

For blind and low vision people, flying requires navigating many obstacles. Inclusive services throughout the journey would enhance the travel experience, allowing disabled travelers to enjoy their trip.

Swiatek embarked on an extensive program with Avianca to compare the various touchpoints to the needs of diverse disabled passengers.

“We came up with five tools to solve accessibility and travel,” Swiatek says of his program at Avianca. “Number one was building awareness. Number two was the training of our people. Number three was process reengineering, like the boarding process. Number four is digital technology, which has done a great job with things like digital access, that a blind person can now use a screen reader. But it’s not perfect for airline bookings because it can be a bit of a difficult transaction. And then fifth is hardware.”

As one example of hardware improvement, Avianca has introduced braille and larger row numbers to the cabins of three aircraft as part of a trial program. Swiatek notes that this change improves travel for all passengers, as the larger numbers make it easier for everyone to find their row.

United Airlines recently introduced braille into its cabin interiors, with signage for rows and lavatories. It was the first U.S. airline to adopt braille cabin interior signage and has committed to installing it throughout the fleet by 2026.

Swiatek believes aircraft manufacturers could help by making accessibility options like braille markings an industry standard. “It just feels like the right thing to do,” he says.

Portland Airport Improves Wayfinding For Disabled Travelers

A lack of accessible information at airports can make travelers feel uncertain and vulnerable, Swiatek says. Ensuring their access to flight details, like gate changes or boarding instructions, and other critical travel information is essential. Wayfinding can also be intimidating, with limited tactile or audible cues to guide blind and low vision travelers.

Portland International Airport has partnered with GoodMaps to eliminate pain points in the journey of disabled travelers. GoodMaps provides audio-visual guidance for indoor spaces. This guidance enables wayfinding for people who are blind and low vision, deaf and hard of hearing, mobility impaired, or neurodiverse. UsingGoodMaps, travelers at the airport can independently find their gate and amenities, including restrooms, food and retail outlets, water fountains, and charging stations.

The GoodMaps app offers an augmented reality view of the airport as well as 2D maps. Using LiDAR mapping technology and camera-based positioning, the GoodMaps can pinpoint a user’s location down to three feet of accuracy. The app also offers a “Step Free” feature which helps travelers with limited mobility find a step-free route through the airport.

“Our Accessibility Committee helps us introduce new programs and technology like GoodMaps that can make our airport even more inclusive,” says Steve Nagy, director of airport operations at the Port of Portland.

Portland Airport’s Accessibility Committee members include advocates such as the Open Doors Organization, Oregon Commission for the Blind, educational institutions Portland State University, Western Oregon University, and the Washington State School for the Blind, and airline partner representatives.